In 2024, more and more people are on the lookout for business ideas that can help them turn their side hustle into a full-scale operation. But what are the most profitable businesses you can start today from the comfort of your own home?
Creating a successful business starts with understanding where your skills lie and what you're passionate about, but the most critical element is ensuring you're turning a profit. To help guide your decision-making, we've compiled an updated list of some of the most profitable types of home-working businesses in the US. We’ve leveraged the latest data, as well as forecasts around growth trends and profit margins, to find 10 carefully curated ideas which stand out for their high level of potential and lower level of risk.
Whether you're an aspiring first-time business owner or a seasoned expert exploring your next venture, keep reading to find the perfect business for you.
E-Commerce Reselling
As online shopping continues its explosive growth, reselling niche products on sites like Etsy, eBay and Amazon taps into serious earning potential. Whether you source specialized merchandise, handmade goods, or one-of-a-kind vintage items, customizing inventory to high-demand categories can be highly lucrative. The global e-commerce market is projected to hit $253.74 billion by 2028 as consumers increasingly shift towards this circular economy.
However, competition is fierce when any seller can create a virtual storefront. You'll need to strategically identify gaps based on competitor analytics and target specific segments that value selection, curation, or hard-to-find products. Startups should expect to manage many listings, source from various suppliers, and emphasize marketing. However, established third-party sellers can expect 20-50% profit margins on inventory.
Tip: Offering personalized customization and services like gift wrapping sets you apart from competitors and is worth exploring as an add-on.
Health & Wellness Services
Catering to the growing interest in self-care and preventative care, businesses offering personalized health and wellness services are poised for growth in 2024. Whether you specialize in fitness training, diet planning, life coaching or patient advocacy, leveraging your expertise to promote lifestyle changes can help you create a business that taps into this $4.5 trillion market with an expected 7% CAGR over the next five years.
However, the pandemic triggered a surge of interest in the health and wellness industry, leading to highly fragmented competition across both digital and brick-and-mortar channels. Standing out requires narrowing your niche so consumers understand your specific value. Mediating between clinicians and patients, or using smart tech tools for custom plans, can differentiate your offerings.
Tip: Focus on accessibility through options like mobile apps or direct provider billing to reduce barriers to entry and expand your potential customer base.
Sustainable Products Retail
As environmental consciousness goes mainstream, sustainable consumer goods represent a significant market opportunity. From eco-friendly cleaning supplies to fair trade fashion and recycled stationery, curating earth-friendly products lets you tap into this segment's projected $771 billion market size by 2028 (CAGR of 7%).
Strictly vetting products, producers, and materials for their environmental impact, transparency and social responsibility is critical. Many consumers use these retailers to shape lifestyle choices, so an ethical, eco-friendly brand purpose must permeate your entire customer experience.
Tip: Seek out sustainability certifications like B-Corp status to back up your brand, while highlighting various use cases like minimalist living or responsible gifting to expand your customer reach.
Tech Repair & Support
As dependence on tech continues to accelerate, so does the demand for repair and support services. Offering this for consumer electronics like smartphones, laptops, smart home tech, and gaming systems lets you tap a $57 billion market.
Standing out in this lucrative market means you'll need to specialize in a niche like Apple products, build customer loyalty through warranties and service agreements, or expand into consultative services like home network design, custom gaming PC building, or data backup systems.
Tip: Get manufacturer certifications from the most common brands you service to assure customers of genuine components and factory repair techniques. This establishes trust and credibility.
Remote Work Solutions
With over 6 in 10 US workers spending time remotely, addressing the need to equip home offices taps into colossal potential. Offering products (such as standing desks, monitors, webcams, headsets) and services ( collaboration apps, virtual network access, data security) tailored for the work-from-home ecosystem can put you at the center of a fast-moving market projected to reach $347 billion globally.
The reality of this type of lucrative business is that businesses worldwide rushed to facilitate remote transitions over the past few years, so consumers are overwhelmed by their options in this space. By focusing on niches like software developers, business road warriors, or finance teams, you can help address unique use cases more precisely. Importing specialty items also reduces competition from mass retailers.
Tip: One-stop bundles that completely outfit individual remote workers or entire teams provide a concierge service that reduces customer effort. Offer free trials of new product lines to stimulate interest.
Online Education & Tutoring
With self-improvement topping resolution lists year after year, eLearning platforms and tutoring services address growing demands for specialized skills, training and continuing education. Whether your platform focuses on college prep, job training, test preparation or professional development, digitally delivering this knowledge taps into a global market projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2028.
To ensure that this becomes one of the most profitable businesses of 2024 in the US for you, it's important to find highly qualified and experienced tutors through rigorous vetting and testing. Doing this also helps justify higher price points in a crowded space.
Tip: Incorporate interactive elements like video assessments, live chat, customizable study plans, and progress dashboards to keep learners engaged and supported on their educational journeys.
Healthcare Support Services
As the massive healthcare industry expands, auxiliary services that increase access, coordination and delivery efficiency also enjoy growth tailwinds. Home healthcare, medical transportation, insurance navigation, patient advocacy and bill consolidation services can all take advantage of this $4.8 trillion market, growing at almost 6% annually.
New entries into this market tend to compete against innovations from across the industry, aiming to capture revenue opportunities in these realms. The key to success for you? Identifying inadequately addressed patient populations or complex diagnosis journeys and building highly specific support infrastructure around them.
Tip: Leverage opportunities to integrate AI-assisted care plans, telehealth delivery, wearable biofeedback and other emerging technologies to demonstrate cutting-edge value. Partnering with clinical providers also lends credibility.
Digital Marketing Agencies
With online visibility more decisive than ever for brands big and small, small businesses desperately need expertise in cultivating an internet presence. When it comes to investing in businesses, digital marketing which focuses on brand building and site traffic generation is one of our favorites in 2024. Be sure to offer integrated digital marketing services like search optimization, social media management, paid ads, web analytics and lead gen campaigns to capitalize on this $515 billion industry growing over 15% annually.
Establishing thought leadership through certifications, emphasizing data-driven decisions backed by transparent analytics, and specializing in specific niches can help build your reputation. Offering short-term contracts and custom reporting also makes investing in your services more accessible for small businesses.
Tip: Develop plug-and-play marketing toolkits with pre-made templates, images, and campaign blueprints tailored to specific industries to onboard new clients. ns—Bundle packages with web hosting or CRMs to increase deal sizes.
Subscription Boxes
Seeking surprise and delight, modern consumers increasingly gravitate to customized subscriptions that regularly deliver niche products to their doorsteps. Monthly boxes focused on specific interests like cooking, books, fitness, beauty, or pet supplies let you capitalize on this market, which is expected to hit $78 billion by 2028.
The subscription box concept has exploded in popularity across categories in recent years, making it harder to retain customers as attention spans wane. Offering ultra-tailored niche themes, personalized customization, and expert curation in your space is essential to surviving amidst subscription box fatigue. Partnering strategically with specialty retailers and small brands also helps secure unique products and ensures that you create a successful business.
Tip: Consider membership tiers that provide access or discounts to complementary experiences (e.g., virtual cooking classes with a chef-curated food box) to increase perceived value and long-term loyalty.
Ready to Start Your Business Ownership Journey?
Before leaping into entrepreneurship, you should consider three critical factors. First, research potential business ideas based on profitability data and your interests, skills and risk tolerance. The most lucrative venture on paper won't succeed without personal commitment. You can explore a complete list of the thousands of profitable businesses for sale on our site here.
Next, explore available resources like securing funding or buying an existing business to get started. Our accessing financing guide provides options and in-depth knowledge on small business loans, crowdsourcing funds, finding investors or purchasing established companies ripe for your vision.
Finally, customize your path by leveraging our practical startup guides. Our step-by-step checklists will help you get your venture operational.
Let your entrepreneurial journey begin!
Helpful FAQs
What are the most profitable businesses in the US in 2024?
- E-commerce Reselling
- Health & Wellness Services
- Sustainable Products Retail
- Tech Repair & Support
- Remote Work Solutions
- Online Education & Tutoring
- Healthcare Support Services
- Digital Marketing Agencies
- Subscription Boxes
What kind of online business is most profitable?
Some of the most lucrative online businesses include:
- E-commerce Reselling
- Online Education and Tutoring
- Healthcare Support Services
- Digital Marketing Agencies
- Subscription Boxes
- Tech Support & SAAS Tools
- Financial Planning & Investment Advice
- Freelance Consulting
What small business has the highest profit margin in 2024?
Some small businesses with the highest profit margins include:
- Specialized Tech Support & Repair
- Online Tutoring & Test Prep
- E-commerce Marketplaces
- Custom & Personalized Product Sales
- Sustainable Product Retailers
- Digital Marketing Agencies
- Subscription Box Curation
What is the easiest business to succeed in 2024?
Some of the most accessible businesses that you can start from home easily include:
- Computer and Tech Repair
- Remote Work Solutions Vendors
- Subscription Box Curation
- Crafts and Handmade Products
- Social Media Management